Ambition

The recent discussion forum topic was 'Ambition', and the part it plays for us in Illustration. One of the aspects mentioned was the idea of marketing yourself, and putting yourself out there- this is something I've been considering for a while now, with my first step being a 'Society6' account:

http://society6.com/MatCoffey/prints

Eventually I'd like to 'cut out the middleman' and start selling my own prints for a more than negligible profit. At this point, I feel confidant enough with my photography to be able start selling it- less so with my drawings, though I intend on working on hybridising the two to capitalise on what I do best. Another  issue brought up was the importance of networking, which I agree with- I feel I already have some useful, interesting and skilled contacts, making more can only be a positive thing, whether it's for future collaboration or merely advice, both of which I have had the benefit of. The last point made was the necessity of being able to fight adversity, from the current economic climate and it's related issues to the inherent competitive nature of creative industries- I personally feel versatility and flexibility are likely keys to success, evident in my case in the lack of specific aims for the future. For now, I'll keep my options open while trying to develop my skills.